Story About Flirtations in Key West

I finally have time to post that entry I was talking about and never did post.

While I was on said vacation, I showed a sense of bravado which is atypical of a good number of autistic folks.  A part of the trip was two days in Key West, Florida.  While in Key West, we stopped at Margaritaville to have lunch.  We had a cute waitress who, based on my straw hat, thought I had a resemblance to Woody from Toy Story.   I joke that I’m the cute one amongst my friends, though I’m also the most prone to saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.  However, I decided to use this conversation with the waitress to attempt to go for her number.  I asked my friends if they thought I could, and then two of them sneak me money for a bet that I won’t, all while using an extremely corny line.  It took me a long time to get the right moment to ask for her number, and it came out awkward since she knew I was a tourist and was not going to stay unless I got hit on the head and decided “hey, I’m going to stay here.”

Here’s where I relate to the spectrum: when it seemed like I nearly got shot down after taking over six sentences just to ask “what’s your number?”  I started a story by saying “I’m truly sorry, I’m embarrassed now by doing this.  I don’t want you thinking I’m one of ‘those guys’ you know.”  She then tells me to hold on a second, and next thing you know, she gives me her number.  Later on, I gave her a call to make sure it wasn’t a fake; it was indeed legit.

What this story makes me think about is dares, or breaking from introversion.  It’s not like I’m a smashing success on the dating scene, as I am not a great ice-breaker.  I viewed this more as a moment of getting my own confidence back while talking with a cute woman, rather than making this some conquest.  On the outside, it may appear like this is a conquest to some females.  They would think I’m just looking for a cheap thrill only.  I think that’s a valid case.

However, from my view, I look at this as a test of my own abilities.  So she’s not a conquest, but a test case; I don’t know which is considered worse.  However, that's what goes through my mind here.  It's not necessarily any different from trying to get an outside chance with an attractive woman or show off your own abilities with the ladies in front of your closest peers, but rather to see what you can do with your own awkwardness and maybe, just maybe, turning it into a positive.

For the record, if this blog becomes famous and the subject is reading this...well, then the subject is reading this.  In terms of other Key West stories, what happened in the 305 will stay there.